NGO Te Protejo

What NGO Te Protejo does

ONG Te Protejo is a Chilean non-profit founded in 2012 that operates the leading regional cruelty-free certification program for the Latin American cosmetics industry. Its core product is an annual cruelty-free seal awarded after documentary review, supplier declarations, and internal audits, priced on a country-and-size-tiered subscription basis starting at approximately US$76 per year in Colombia. The organization serves cosmetic, personal care, and household product brands across six Latin American markets — Chile, Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico — through country-specific websites and curated cruelty-free brand directories. In addition to certification, Te Protejo runs an awareness blog, a monthly newsletter, public advocacy campaigns (#TambiénSienten), and a transition support program for brands displaced by PETA's 2025 withdrawal from the region.

Te Protejo's revenue mix combines recurring certification fees, individual monthly donations, and corporate sponsorship. Since 2013 it has certified more than 190 brands; consumer awareness of the seal is high across the region (68% in Chile, 71% in Mexico, 73% in Brazil, 71% in Peru). The organization monetizes Brazilian vegan certification through an exclusive 2023 partnership with V-label International, granting access to a globally recognized vegan symbol covering 50,000+ products and 4,300+ companies. Beyond commercial certification, Te Protejo is a legislative advocacy body, having helped enact Chile's Law 21.646 (April 2024) and Brazil's federal animal testing ban (July 2025).

The go-to-market blends sales-led outreach to brands, community-led consumer pull-through via directories and the Academia volunteer program, and event-driven advocacy campaigns. A 2024 Advisory Board formalizes governance across five functions: Administration and Finance, Awareness, Liaison, Certifications, and Advocacy. Leadership comprises Director General Camila Cortínez, Corporate Director Yolanda López, and Advocacy Director Nicole Valdebenito. The organization has no parent company, no disclosed funding rounds, and operates with 1-10 employees from Santiago, Chile.

Name

NGO Te Protejo

Legal name

ONG Te Protejo

Website

https://ongteprotejo.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ONG Te Protejo is a Chilean non-profit founded in 2012 that certifies cosmetic and personal care brands as cruelty-free across six Latin American countries, charging annual subscription fees starting at US$76, supplemented by donations and a 2023 V-label vegan certification partnership for Brazil.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cosmetic Certification Services

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Welfare Auditing, Compliance & Certification Services (Non-testing Lab) (AFAEALAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vegan/Vegetarian & Animal-Derived Ingredient Verification (incl. cross-contact) (AFALAHAI), “Free-From” & Allergen-Free Claim Substantiation (e.g., gluten-free, peanut-free) (AFALAHAD)

Keywords

• Cruelty-free certification
• Cosmetic brand certification
• Animal welfare advocacy
• Vegan certification services
• Nonprofit advocacy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Santiago

HQ country

Chile

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Cruelty-Free Brand Certification: Te Protejo charges cosmetic and personal care brands an annual certification fee to receive the Te Protejo cruelty-free seal. The certification involves document review, supplier declarations, internal audits, and a signed contract. Pricing varies by country and company size; in Colombia, fees start from US$76 per year. The certification must be renewed annually.
2. Donations and Monthly Contributions: The organization solicits monthly donations from individuals through its donation portal (dona.ongteprotejo.org), positioning this as a way for consumers to support animal protection projects and legislation advocacy.
3. V-Label Certification Partnership (Brazil): As the official V-label partner for Brazil (non-food category), Te Protejo administers vegan certification for cosmetic and household product brands, generating revenue through the certification process.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ONG Te Protejo provides cruelty-free certification services to cosmetic and personal care brands in Latin America, verifying that products and ingredients are not tested on animals through document review, supplier declarations, and internal audits with annual renewal. It also maintains official cruelty-free brand directories across six countries, runs consumer education programs, and advocates for animal testing ban legislation, including V-label vegan certification in Brazil.

Product overview

NGO Te Protejo operates a cruelty-free certification ecosystem for the Latin American cosmetics industry. The organization provides a core certification service for brands to verify their products are free from animal testing, maintains official cruelty-free brand directories across 6 countries, publishes educational content through its blog, and advocates for animal welfare legislation. A notable partnership enables vegan certification via V-label in Brazil. The certification process includes documentary review, supplier declarations, and internal audits, with annual renewal requirements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cruelty-Free Certification Service Annual certification program that verifies cosmetic and personal care brands are free from animal testing at all stages of production, including ingredients and suppliers. Includes documentary review, supplier declarations, and internal audits. Targeted at Latin American cosmetic and personal care brands across six countries.
• Cruelty-Free Brand Directory (Marcas Cruelty Free)
• V-label Vegan Certification (Brazil) Partnership-enabled vegan certification service for Brazilian cosmetic and household cleaning product brands, guaranteeing products are free from animal-derived ingredients, leveraging the internationally recognized V-label symbol. Targeted at Brazilian brands seeking vegan certification.
• Free Certification Contest for Latin American Brands Periodic free certification contest awarding selected Latin American cosmetic brands complimentary cruelty-free certification, aimed at increasing the availability of certified cruelty-free products in the region. Targeted at emerging Latin American cosmetic brands.

Quantifiable outcome

• 190+ brands certified since 2013 across Latin America
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• V-label InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023Te Protejo became the official local partner of V-label International for Brazil in the 'Non-food' category (cosmetic and household products). This partnership enables Te Protejo to certify Brazilian brands as vegan, leveraging V-label's internationally recognized vegan symbol (registered in Switzerland in 1996, with over 50,000 products and 4,300+ companies certified globally).
• Humane World for AnimalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTe Protejo collaborated with Humane World for Animals to drive Brazil's federal ban on animal testing for cosmetics, contributing to the 1.6 million-signature campaign that made Brazil the 45th country worldwide to enact such legislation.
• AAVS (American Anti-Vivisection Society)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAVS is listed as a key ally and sponsor of Te Protejo. AAVS operates the Leaping Bunny Program in the U.S. and Canada and has been a leading organization in ending animal testing. Te Protejo backs and promotes Leaping Bunny as a trusted cruelty-free certification standard.
• Latin Group for AnimalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a key alliance partner of Te Protejo on its English website. The Latin Group for Animals coordinates animal protection efforts across the Latin American region.
• ICCS (International Cosmetic Certification System)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as an alliance partner on the Te Protejo English website. ICCS is a cosmetics certification standards body that Te Protejo works with to maintain high certification standards.
• Generación Vegana (GenV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGenV is a key regional ally. Jessica González, GenV's Latin American Director, serves on Te Protejo's Advisory Board as Awareness Advisor. GenV and Te Protejo share aligned missions on vegan and cruelty-free advocacy in Latin America.
• Fundación VEGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as an alliance partner on the Te Protejo English website. Fundación VEG (Chile) promotes veganism and ethical consumption in Latin America.
• Aquatic Life InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as an alliance partner on the Te Protejo English website. The Aquatic Life Institute works on aquatic animal welfare and is part of Te Protejo's broader alliance network.
• ARBA (Peru)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARBA is a key Peruvian partner. Te Protejo and ARBA jointly advocated for Peru's Project of Law N°7688/2023-CR to ban animal testing for cosmetics, with ARBA President Iselda Livoni and Te Protejo's Advocacy Director Nicole Valdebenito publicly supporting the legislation.
• Cruelty Free International / Leaping Bunny ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTe Protejo endorses and promotes the Leaping Bunny program (administered by Cruelty Free International) as a gold-standard cruelty-free certification. Leaping Bunny is recognized as the standard requiring a Supplier Monitoring System and periodic brand audits.
• PETA (Beauty Without Bunnies)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTe Protejo historically promoted PETA's Beauty Without Bunnies certification in Latin America. After PETA restricted its program to US, Canada, Germany, and India in August 2025 (affecting 180+ Latin American brands), Te Protejo launched a transition support plan and positioned its own certification as the regional alternative.
• IpsosminorOthersTe Protejo partnered with IPSOS to conduct the 'Percepción de la Industria Cosmética en el Perú' survey, measuring consumer attitudes toward animal testing and cruelty-free cosmetics in Peru. The survey found 71% of Peruvians disagree with animal testing in cosmetics.
• We AnimalsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a sponsor/ally on the Te Protejo website. We Animals documents animal exploitation through photography and video, supporting Te Protejo's awareness and advocacy mission.
• Mercy For AnimalsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a sponsor/ally on the Te Protejo website. Mercy For Animals is a global animal protection organization working to end industrial animal farming, with aligned goals in the Latin American market.
• Change.orgminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTe Protejo uses the Change.org platform to host and promote its #TambiénSienten petition campaigns for animal testing bans across Latin American countries. The Brazil campaign collected 1.6 million signatures via this platform.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• B Lab (B Corporation): Global certification for companies meeting social and environmental performance standards. While not focused on animal testing specifically, it competes for the same 'ethical brand' signaling budget from cosmetics and personal-care companies in Latin America.
• EcoCert: France-headquartered certification body operating across organic agriculture, natural cosmetics, and sustainable development. A broader-portfolio incumbent whose natural/organic cosmetics standards (e.g., Cosmos) overlap with the ethical-certification segment Te Protejo addresses.
• NATRUE: International non-profit promoting natural and organic cosmetics certification across 30+ countries. Overlaps with Te Protejo's cruelty-free positioning in the natural/clean-beauty segment but at much broader scope.

Direct peers

• The Vegan Society (Vegan Trademark): UK-based Vegan Trademark certification, a globally registered vegan product standard dating to the 1990s. Comparable international vegan certification program targeting cosmetics, household, and consumer goods — a direct competitor to V-label/Te Protejo's vegan offering.
• PETA (Beauty Without Bunnies): Operated the Beauty Without Bunnies cruelty-free certification in Latin America until August 2025, when it restricted the program to the US, Canada, Germany, and India. Te Protejo historically promoted this program and is now absorbing displaced brands.
• V-label International: Swiss-registered vegan certification standard used on 50,000+ products and 4,300+ companies globally. Te Protejo is V-label's official Brazil 'non-food' partner, making them both ally and partial peer in vegan claim certification for cosmetics.
• Cruelty Free International (Leaping Bunny): Administers the Leaping Bunny cruelty-free certification, the most widely recognized global standard for no-animal-testing personal care and household products. Te Protejo explicitly endorses and promotes Leaping Bunny as a trusted standard in Latin America.

Regional players

• Choose Cruelty Free (Australia): Australian cruelty-free certification body with the 'Choose Cruelty Free' (CCF) logo. Comparable regional model — single-country certification organization focused on cosmetics and household products — operating in a different geography than Te Protejo.

Others

• Humane World for Animals: Global animal protection organization (formerly Humane Society International) that partnered with Te Protejo on Brazil's federal animal testing ban. An ally rather than competitor, but operating in the same broader animal-welfare advocacy ecosystem in Latin America.
• AAVS (American Anti-Vivisection Society): U.S. animal protection organization that operates and promotes the Leaping Bunny program. Listed as a key ally and sponsor of Te Protejo, providing cross-promotion of cruelty-free certification standards in their respective geographies.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCJRZXwBBOAPuzPJkQoMrBMA
• Xx.com/TeProtejo
• Facebookfacebook.com/TeProtejo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ong-te-protejo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NGO Te Protejo